Space weather experts have noticed a large mass of particles ejecting from the sun. This is known as a solar flare or a coronal mass injection (CME).
These have happened many times before. These expulsions travel through space and may affect the earth. This one though, will miss earth and is classed as a ‘G1 minor’ and will not be noticed by us.
The only real concern is for animals that migrate using Earth’s magnetic field for a sense of direction. This may lead to confusion for them.
They can also be deadly to astronauts if they interfere with mission communication controls, which could lead to injury or death.
It may affect our power grid causing weak fluctuations, but we will not notice it. Satellite communications may experience some minor impacts.
These solar flares also produce natural light displays such as the Northern Lights.
The sun is at the start of an 11-year cycle, so more intense flares and eruptions are likely.
This is the 3rd eruption this week that has been close to Earth. There are many instances over the years of solar flares and eruptions that the worst Earth has been affected by, was when Quebec in Canada lost power for 9 hours.
